Apparatus for forming inner threads on containers



March 11, 1941. J; DlcHTER A 2,234,302

APPARATUS FOR FORMING INNER THREADS ON CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 7, 1936 15 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jakob Dic fer ATTORNEY March 11,- 1941. J', D|HTER 2,234,302

APPARATUS Foa FoRMING INNER THREADS oN CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 7, 1936 15 sheets-sheet 2 figQ..

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

J. nlcHTx-:R 2,234,302

APPARATUS FOR FORMING INNER THREADS ON (PON'IAINERSl March 11, 1941.

15 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 7. 1936 INVENTOR. a ob Dichfer BY @12% a ATTORNEY.

J. DICHTER March 11, 1941.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING INNER THREADS ON CQNTAINERS 15 'sheets-sheet 4 Filed De. 7. 1956 16 a an;

.DOA nu n Ty.. m

mD A D O R figg; BY' J JQDICHTER March 11, 1941.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING INNER THREADS 0N CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 7, 1936 I1|.5 Sheets-Sheet 5' INVEN'IV'OR. b` Dichar J dho J5. e El 5 ATTORNEY.

J. Dici-TER `2,234,302

APPARATUS FOR FORMING INNER THREADS ON CONTAINERS- March 11, 1941.

Filed nec`. 7, 193e 15 Sheets-Sheet 6 BY my 15m-'fai ATTORNE March 11, 1941.

J. DICI-ITER APPARATUS FOR FORMING INNER THREADS QN CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 7. 1936 15 Sheets-Sheet Jakob Hvvir BY M ATTORNEY.

15 Sheets-Sheet. 8

J. DICHTER APPARATUS Fon FoRMING INNER THREADS oN CONTAINERS Filed Deo. '7, 1936 INI March 11, 1941.

March l1, 1941. 2,234,302

APPARATUS Fon FORMING INNER THREADS ou CONTAINERS J. DICHTER Filed Det).v4 7, 1936 l5 Sheets-Sheet 9 gwn March 11, 1941. .1 DICHTER 2,234,302

APPARATUS RoR FORMING INNER Tum-:Ans on CONTAINERS' Filed Dec. 7, 1936 15 Sheets-Sheet 10 Tigl l. m"

l jf 241 240 INVENTOR.

1p n Jakob Dimm ATTORNEY.

APPARATUS Fon FORMING INNER THREADS oN CONTAINERS i l5 Sheets-Sheet 11 zal ajo J. DICHTER Filed Dec. 7, 193e 04 aos Bil March 11, 1941.

31 BY akob M @fg/mp SIS ATTORNEY.

March 11, 1941. J. DICI-ITER APPARATUS FOR FORMING INNER THREADS ON CONTAINERS Filed Dec'. 7, 1936 l5 Sheets-Sheet 12 igl.

ATTORNEY.

March l1, 1941.

J. DlcHfr'ER APPARATUS FOR FORMING INNER THREADS 0N CONTAINERS ILS-Sheets-Sheet 13 Filed Dec. '7, 19 3 ATTORNEY.

March 11, 1941. J', mgl-ITER 2,234,302-

APPARATUS FOR FORMING INNER THREADS 0N CONTAINERS Filed Dec. '7, 1936 15 Sheets-Sheet 14 m @mi BY M 4%@ ATTORNEY.

J. DICHTER 2,234,302

APPARATUS FOR FORMING INNER THREADS QN CONTAINERS' March 11, 1941.

15 Sheets-Sheet 1.5z

Filed Dec. '7, 1936 Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED sTATEs APPARATUS FOR FORMING INNER THREADS N CONTAINERS Jakob Dichter, Berlin-Schoneberg, Germany Application December 7, 1936, Serial No. 114,525 In Germany December 11, 1935 7 Claims. (Cl. 49-7) This invention relates to apparatus for forming inner threads on containers such as vials or the like.

` One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide an apparatus whereby the threaded necks of vials may be made of any desired diameter and more particularly, whereby the inner diameter of the neck may be made of the same diameter or larger than the diameter of the vial of which the neck forms a part.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which will be automatic in its operation whereby vials with inner threads may be l5 economically produced on a commercial scale.

The invention further contemplates the provision of means for initially ilaring the end of the vial to be threaded and thereafter forming on the interior of the vial the desired threads.

Numerous other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds particularly when reference is had to the accompanying drawings wherein;

25 Fig. 1 is a side elevational view oi' a machine constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine looking at the opposite side thereof from that 30 shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the transport 35 bars forming a part of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-5 of Fig. 3, but showing the iiaring tools retracted;

Fig.,7 is a fragmentary top plan view of the 40 structure shown in Fig. 6, the flaring tools, however, being shown forward and inclined;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7, showing the flaring tools forward and inclined;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 9 9 of Fig, 7;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8, showing the flaring tools forward but not inclined;

50 Fig. i1 is an end elevational view of the thread forming mechanism;

. Fig. l2 is a. transverse sectional view taken sub- .i "stantially on the line l2-I2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary plan view of the 55 4threading mechanism;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line ll-II oi Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view on the line |5--I5 of Fig. 11, showing the tool advanced and the rollers engaging the vial; 5

Fig. 16 is a sectional view on the line lG-IS of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a horizontal sectional view on the line I'I-l1 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary elevational view of the 10 vertical adjusting means for the thread forming mechanism;

Fig. 19 is a sectional view on the line |9|9 of Fig. 18;

Fig. 20 is a perspective view of the threading 15 mechanism showing the threaded plug advances;

Fig. 21 is an elevational view of one of the articles produced by the machine;

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, showing a slightly modified form of construction;

Fig. 23 is a sectional view on the line 23-23 of Fig. 22;

Fig. 24 is a side elevational view of a further modified form oi construction;

Fig. 25 is a view similar to Fig. 24 showing the parts in a slightly dierent position;

Fig. 26 is a view similar to Fig. 24 showing a further modied form of construction; Fig. 27 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a still further form which the invention may assume:

Fig. 28 is a fragmentary side elevationalview showing a further embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 29 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Fig, 28.

Heretofore it has been customary to package tablets and the like in small bottles or vials having reduced neck portions. Such vials have not been particularly satisfactory for the reason that f the neck or outlet opening of the vial has been smaller than the body portion of the vial, thereby providing an inner shoulder against 'which the 45 tablets contacted when it was attempted to remove the tablets from the vial. Further, the tablets have not been guided 'sidewise, that is, they have not been preventedfrom moving laterally in the bottle or vial so that when the bottle became partly empty, the tablets were able to shift or move laterally, frequently becoming broken during shipping or storing.

'Under the teachings of the present invention there is produced a vial of constant internal diameter from its base to its mouth outlet open- In fact, if desired. the mouth of the vial may be even larger than the internal diameter of the body of the vial.

With a vial constructed as above mentioned it is possible to so form the vial body that the edges of the tablet engage the inner wall of the vial,

whereby, the tablets are prevented from moving laterally and thus becoming broken.v 'I'he tablets may be discharged from the vial by merely removing the cap of the vial and then tipping the open mouth of the vial downwardly, the tablets being guided in their movement throughout their entire travel through the vial. As previously mentioned, the vial opening is 4the same diam` eter as thev body of the vial or, if desired, the` vial opening may be made slightly larger thanI the body of the vial, the result being ineither case that the tablets are not caused to contact a shoulder when they are discharged from the vial. Thus the present invention provides an apparatus for producing a vial or the like in which i 'the tablets stored in-the vial will be held against lateral movement butin which the tablets may be easily. discharged from the vial because of the fact that there are no shoulders or the like between the body portion of the vial andthe open'end thereof.

Referring rst to the method, the inventionl contemplates the processing of glass tubes of the desired size in such a manner that rst the ends to be treated are heated in suitable llames until these ends become plastic. A flaringftool of desired size and shape is then entered into the open 'heated end of the tube and this tool is then tilted so that a controlled flare may be applied tothe` mouth of the tube.

It is preferable that the first aring tool which engages the vial only partially form the desired flare, the tube being then moved into alignment with a second ilaringtool which is somewhat larger than that rst mentioned and which ;en

gages the interior of the open end of the .tubeand then is inclined upwardly to impart'thegdesired final flare to the tube.

After the tube or vial has been flared to the extent desired, the tube or vial -jis then moved by suitable transport bars into alignment Awith a `threaded plug. T'his plug is projected forwardly the interior of the vial. The plugis. then drawn l fully out of the path of movement of the vial and the vial is moved forwardly on the machine out of alignment with the plug and into alignment with an apertured rotatable plate which is ,arranged to discharge cooling air into the interior of the vial or tube so that the interior and exterior of the vial or tube are both cooled to exactly the same extent.

If the article being processed is a vial, the operation as thusfar described completes the article. In other words, a vial is formed, the vialv being closed at one end and the other end thereof,

being interiorly threaded to provide a neckof the desired diameter.

If, however, a tube is being processed, 'the present invention contemplates reversing the tube end for end so that the other end thereof is then placed in position to be acted upon by suitable ilaring and threading tools with the result that there is provided a tube of a desired length having interior. threads formed on each of its two ends. Such a tube is then treated in accordance with the usual practice to divide the same into two sections and to form bottomson the sections thus produced so that two vials are formed from a single length of tubing.

Referring now particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout all views, and referring more particularly to Figures l to 3 in-v clusive wherein the general arrangement of the. machine is illustrated, the numeral 20 designates' a suitable baseplate which is supported in spaced relation to the floor in any desired manner, such for example, as by the legs 2 I Carried by and projecting upwardly from the baseplate 20 are standards 22 and 23 which provide suitable bearings for shafts 24. One end of each shaft 24 carries a pair of discs or rollers 25, these discs being of such size that they overf of rollers or discs, there is provided a means for lreversing the vials or tubes end for end so that all of the processing means may be disposed at one side of the machine. It should be noted further .that the rollers or discs 25 are all located along one side only of the machine since it is un-v necessary for the .tube or vial being processed to project beyond the other side of the machine.

It is contemplated that the discs 25 will be rotated to impart rotation to the tubes being processed and for this purpose each shaft 24 is provided at its outer end with a gear 30. Most of the gears 30 are arranged in alignment longitudinally of the machine and are adapted to be driven by a suitable chain 3|, the upper reach of which rides on a track 32 disposed irrimedi-A ately below those gears 30, which thechain is adapted to d rive. At its one en d the chain 3i passes over a suitable idler sprocket 33 while atV which is driven by a chain 31 from aV sprocket 38 fixed to a shaft 39 which extends transversely Vof the'machine and which is driven from a shaft 40 by suitable interengaging gears.

Power for driving the above discussed shafts and gears is obtained from a suitable motor 45'` which is connected by the belt 46 to a pulley,

41 ilxed to a, shaft 48 which extends longitudinally' of the machine to substantially the center there- 52 which through a chain 53 drives ansprocket" 54 fixed to the shaft 40. y

The machine is provided at its one end with a suitable magazine 55 from which tubesor vials are fed to transport bars 56 and 51. which periodically move the vials throughout the length `of the machine, depositing them momentarily in the seats between adjacent rollers or discs 25.

The magazine may be provided with a suitable agitating means 58 adapted to be driven from one of the adjacent gears 90 by a suitable eccentrically mounted connection 59.

At its opposite end the machine is provided with a suitable discharge means 60 which may be of any desired character and which is adapted to receive the vials after they have been Processed.

As the vials move longitudinally of the machine from the feed end to the discharge end thereof, they are first acted upon by a suitable flaring mechanism designated generally by the reference character A. After the end of the tubes or blanks have been properly ared, the blanks are then moved longitudinally of the machine a distance sufficient to place them in position to be acted upon by the mechanism which forms inner threads on the vials or blanks. This mechanism is designated by the reference character B and will be more fully described hereafter.

The blanks are then moved longitudinally of Ithe machine until they reach substantially the center of the machine where they are acted upon by the reversing mechanism designated generally by the reference character C. 'I'his mechanism reverses the blanks end for end so thai'I during their further travel through the machine their opposite ends may be processed. Thus after the tubes have been reversed end for end, they are subjected to the action of a second flaring mechanism, A', and then to the action of a second inner thread forming mechanism, B'.

As previously mentioned the tube blanks are moved longitudinally of the machine by suitable transport bars. While the action of transport bars is well known in the art, reference may be made to Figure 5 wherein there is diagrammatically illustrated the manner in which these bars move. If the bars are observed from the rear of the machine or as viewed in Figure 2 it will be found that they move as indicated by the arrows in Figure 5; namely, upwardly, then toward the right, then downwardly and then toward the left.

The means for moving the transport bars is also shown diagrammatically in Figure 5 and also partly in Figure 2 of the drawings. By reference to these figures, it will be noted that the transport bars are secured to the ends of links 65, these links being secured at their other ends to the ends of a longitudinally extending link 66. Intermediate their ends, the links are secured to the ends of bell-crank levers 61 which are pivoted at at 68 to a stationary part of the machine frame. The other ends of the bell-crank levers are pivoted as at 69 to opposite ends of a link 'l0 which extends longitudinally of the machine in substantial parallelism to a link 66.

The link 'l0 is adapted to be reciprocated longitudinally by a link 1| which is connected to one end of the bell-crank lever l2, the other end of this bell-crank lever being provided with a roller which engages a cam 'i3 xed to the shaft 5|. A second cam 'l5 on shaft 5| is adapted by means of the bell-crank lever 16 to move the link 73v to longitudinally reciprocate the link 66 as will be clearly apparent. The cams 'I3 and l5 are so arranged that the links 66 and l0 are reciprocated in such a manner that the transport bars are moved upwardly, then forwardly of the machine, and then downwardly and rearwardly until they reach their initial position. The transport bars are, of course, provided with notches or recesses i9, in which the tubes rest so that the transport bars deposit the tubes successively in the seats provided by the discs 25.

By reference to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, it will be noted that rollers engage the tube blanks to hold the latter in engagement with the discs 25. Each roller 80 is journaled in a suitable bracket 8| which is mounted for rotativev adjustment in a fitting 82. Each fitting is carried by one end of an arm 03, there being provided a suitable lever 84 fixed to each bracket 8| to provide for rotative adjustment of the same. A set screw 85 is associated with each tting to hold its respective bracket in adjusted position.

The other ends of the arms 83 are xed by ttings 88 to the upper ends of the rods 09 which are mounted for vertical reciprocation in bearings 90 fixed to the base plate 20. It will be apparent that, when the rods are moved up-v wardly. they will lift the rollers 80 out of erigagement with the tube blanks, thus permitting the transport bars to move the tube blanks longitudinally of the machine or from one processing station to the next adjacent processing station in the direction of travel of the tube blanks through the machine.

The mechanism for vertically moving the rods 89 is shown most clearly in Figures 2, 4, and 6. Fixed to the shaft 5| is a cam 92 which is arranged to actuate a bell-crank lever 93 which is pivoted as at 94 to a part of the machine framework. The free end o1 bell-crank lever 99 is connected by a link 95 to one end of a second bell-crank lever 96. At the point where link 95 is connected with the bell-crank lever 96, the link is also connected to one end of the longi tudinally extending link 91"which is pivotally connected as at 98 to the bell-crank lever 99 similar to the bell-crank lever 96. The bellcrank levers 96 and 99 carry at their free ends depending links |00 to the lower ends of which are secured lugs |0| which engage the under surface of a bar |02 which extends longitudinally of the machine. As illustrated in Figure 6, the lower ends of the rods 89 rest on the bar |02 with the result that as the bar |02 is raised,

all of the rollers 80 are moved upwardly and out 91 is moved to the left thus so rocking the bell crank levers 96 and 99 as to raise the bar |02. When, however, the cam-engaging end of bellcrank lever 93 engages the reduced portion of cam 92, bell-crank levers 96 and 99 are rocked in the opposite direction whereby the rollers 80 are permitted to again engage the tube blanks.

During its travel through the machine, each tube blank is caused to stop temporarily at each of 16 stations, identified in Figure 1 by the numerals I though XVI inclusive. `At stations I to IV inclusive and at stations XI to )UV inclusive, the end of the blank to be processed is heated by suitable burners |05. At stations V and XV the end of the tube is heated by a suitably disposed inclined burner and the tube end is then interiorly threaded by the mechanism l B or B'. At station VI and XVI, the tube blank is air-cooled by means which will later be described, while at station IX, the blank is reversed end for end by Amechanism which will also be described.

Thus, the blank when it enters the machine, is first heated and then furtherheated and subi tributed. At stations I and II, one end of each jected to the action of two flaring tools. The blank then is further heated and subjected tothe thread-forming mechanism. i Then the blankis cooled, reversed end for end so that the opposite end, thereof,'may ber processed in the manner immediately above described, the blank being discharged from the machine in the form shown in Figure 21. c

As previously mentioned, the blanks,I which are preferably glass tubes, open at both ends, are fed to the machine from the magazine 55 and are moved to each kof the stations'I to XVI inclusive. At all of the-Nstations, except stations VII to X inclusive, the tubes are rotated so that the heatapplied to the same will be evenly distube is heated by the burners |05 and then `the tube being processed is moved first to station III and then to station IV at each of which stations the heated end of the tube is subjected to the aringoperation by the mechanism A.

This mechanism is shown more-particularly in Figures 6 to 10 inclusive and comprises a vertical standard 0, suitably fixed to the bed plate 20. The standard receives a threaded shaft which has at its lowerend a squared portion ver- "`\at.,its lower end on the top of the standard ||0.

The threaded shaft carries at its upper end v a bearing ||3 which slidingly receives a tubular member I i4. Fixed to the right-hand end of `the wtubular member ||4 as viewed in Figure 6 of the drawings is an end plate ||5 which is provided with upwardly projecting spaced ears ||6 for a purpose which will'later be more fully described. Fixed to the other end of the tubular part is a collar ||1 provided ywith depending spaced arms ||3 which slidinglyembrace a pin IIS which is iixed to and projects from the standard I I0. The depending arms ||3 prevent a turning of-the tubular bar ||4 but permit this tubular bar to be moved longitudinally through the bearing I 3.

A spring secured to the end plate I I5 and to the bearing ||3 normally urges the tubular bar |4 to the left as viewed in Figure 6 or, in other words, away from the blank-supporting rollers 25. For the purpose of moving the tubular bar ||4 inwardly toward the rollers 25 against :the force as exerted by spring |20, there is provided vthe `following structure. Carried lby the collar .||1 and spaced to the left, thereof, as viewed in Figure 6, is a plate adapted to be engaged by the end of the bolt |26 which is threaded in a lhead |21 carried-by the upper end of the lever |28. The lever is pivotally mounted intermediate itsends as at |23 and carries at its lower end a roller |30, which engages a cam |3| iixed to the shaft |32. 'I'he shaft |32 extendsA longitudinally of the machine vand at one side, thereof,l and is driven by beveled gears |33 fixed to the Shafts 5| and I 32.

It will be apparent that as the cam 13| is rortatively driven, the tubular shaft ||4 will be It win be understood that the tube is erst-acted upon by the flaring tool |35 and that the tube is then acted -upon by the flaring tool |33. The

tools may differ somewhat in size and may be' inclined to differentdegrees so that'the tool |35 imparts a partial iiare to the tube while the |33 tool imparts a final iiare'tol the tube.

For the purpose of imparting the above movement to the aring tool, there is provided in' addition to the structure just above described, the following structure. Mounted for sliding movement longitudinally of the tube ||4 is a rod |31 which projects beyond the outer end of the tube and is adapted to be engaged by the end i |33 of the lever |39. l This lever is fixed to the shaft |40 which is journaled in the supports for the plate |25 and has xed to its one end an arm |4|l through the end of which there is threaded a bolt |42. The lower end of this bolt is adapted to be engaged by the upper surface of the arm |43 which is privoted as at |44 to the standard ||0. For raising and lowering arm |43, there is provided a link |45 which is secured at its lower end to a pivotally mounted link |46. The link |46 carries a roller |41 adapted to ride on a cam |48 fixed to the shaft |32. The arrangement is such that the link |45 will periodically be vertically reciprocated thus raising the arm |43 and causing the lever |43 to force the rod |31 to the right as viewed in Figure 6.

Adjacent its inner end, there is xed to the rod |31 a. pin |50 which projects upwardly through a slot 5I formed in the tube I I4. The head of the pin 'I 50 carries a plate |52 which is provided with an opening |53 through which a curved arm |54 is arranged to move. 'Ihe arm |54 is pinned to the shaft |55 which is journaled in theears I6 of the end plate I l 5. Likewise, pinned to the` shaft |55 are arms |56 each of which carries one of the flaring tools |35. The arms |56 are Secured to a strap member |51 and this strap mem-l ber is provided with clamping means for support the inclination of the other arm |56 whereby one flaring tool will be inclined to a greater degreev than the other when the rod |31 is fully advanced. If this is not desired, obviously one aring tool may be made larger than the other as previously mentioned.

The normal position of the parts of the flaring mechanism are shown in Figure 6. It will be noted with reference to this figure that the tubular member ||4 is fully retracted by the spring |20 while the rod |31 is fully retracted by virtue of the spring |53 which is secured at its one end to the bearing ||3 and at its other end to the plate |52. It will also be noted that the flaring tools are horizontally positioned and are, of course, also retracted so that they are not exposed to the heat of the burners |05. 'I'he rollers on the levers |28 and |46 are on the low parts of their respective cams, while the arm' |43 is lowered 'so that it does not contact the lower end of bolt |42.

During the travel of the tube through the machine, the tube is held against rollers |60 carried by a guide rail |6| by virtue of the inclination oi.'

the superposed rollers 30. This insures that at Y stations I and II, the Atube end to be processed will rbe properly located with reference to the This occurs by virtue of the fact that after the tube has been fully positioned at station III, the tubular member ||4 is flrst moved by lever |28 and cam |3| to the position shown in Figure 10. The movement of the tubular member to this position causes the tool |35 to be inserted into the end of the tube blank and ready to be in-` clined to the position shown in Figure 9.

It will be apparent that the rod |31 and the lever |38 have also moved forwardly since the lever is carried by the supports for the plate |25. The cam |48 now causes the link |45 to be elevated, thus raising the arm |43 and causing a rocking of the lever |39 through the medium of the threaded bolt |32 and the lever arm |4|. This causes the rod |31 to move forwardly relative to the tube ||4 and by virtue of the extension of the curved arm |54 through the opening |53 in plate |52 causes a predetermined rocking of the shaft |55 and thus an inclination of the tool |35 to the angle desired. Thus the tube is initially flared to some predetermined angle. The tube blank is then moved to station IV where it is further heated by a burner |05 and where it is engaged by the tool |36 in the same manner as it was engaged by the tool |35. The tool |36 flares the tube to the final desired angle and, as previously mentioned, this may be occasioned by making the tool |36 larger than tool I 35 or by having the initially positioned tool |36 slightly inclined rather than horizontally positioned as is tool |35.

From station IV the blank which has now been properly flared, is moved to station V where it is subjected to the action of the inner threadproducing mechanism B. At this station the tube is rapidly rotated and for this purpose, there is provided a roller 65 having a friction-inducing surface formed of rubber or some similar material. As in the case of the rollers 80, the roller |65 is supported from a rod 83 and is adapted to be raised and lowered by the rod 89 which rests at its lower end on the bar |02.

, The roller |65, however, instead of being merely journaled in its supporting bracket for rotation by virtue of its engagement with the blank, is adapted to be rapidly rotatively driven. Thus the roller is journaled in the bracket |66 which differs from the brackets 8|, utilized for the rollers 80. The bracket |66 is adapted to be rotatively adjusted by virtue of the lever 64 fixed to the stem of the bracket |66, this stem being rotatively mounted in the head 82. There is, of course, a suitable means such as a set screw 85 for holding the bracket in its adjusted position.

The roller |65 is carried by a shaft |61 and this shaft is connected by a universal joint |68 to one end of the shaft |69 which is telescopically received in the tubular shaft |10. A pin, or the like, |1|, carried by the tubular shaft I 10 engages in a slot or groove |12 in the shaft |69 to provide for sliding movement of the shafts relative to each other while preventing relative rotation between these shafts.

The tubular shaft is connected by virtue of the universal joint |15 to the shaft |16 to which is xed a gear |11. This gear meshes with a gear |18 which in turn meshes with gear |19 fixed to the adjacent disc-driving shaft 24. As previously mentioned, while most of the gears 30 for driving the shafts 24 were arranged in alignment longitudinally of the machine and were adapted to be driven by a chain 3|, the shafts 24 driving the discs forming the seats opposite threading mechanisms B and B', are elongated as clearly illustrated in Figure 12 and are separately driven by a chain |80 which, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, is driven from the` shaft 40. Since the shaft 40 preferably rotates lat a higher speed than the shaft 39 and since sprocket Wheel |8| which drives the chain |80 is larger than the sprocket wheel 38, the fourj driven shafts 24 which drive the discs opposite the threading mechanism, rotate at a higher speed than do the other tube-supporting discs of the machine. It will also be apparent that since the gear |19 is xed to one of the high-speed shafts, the roller |65 will also be rapidly rotated, thus^caus ing a rapid spinning of the tube blank about its axis.

When the tube is positioned at stationV, as previously mentioned, it is rapidly rotated and heated by a suitable inwardly-disposed burner 200. After the tube has been heated to the proper extent, it is the function of the threading mechanism to insert a threaded plug in the end of the vtube and then to cause rollers to engage the outside of the tube so that the glass is pressed into the threads of the threaded plug. The mecha-y nism for accomplishing this function is shown more particularly in Figures 11 to, 20 inclusive.

Referring first to Figures 11 and 12, it will be noted that there are provided L-shaped bars 20| extending transversely of the bed plate 20 vto form a way for the plate 202. 'Ihis plate is adapted for adjustment transversely of the bed plate and for this purpose, there is fixed to the front edge of the plate as by bolting or the like, a plate 203 which is provided with upstanding ears 206.` Secured to the side is a bracket y205 which extends forwardly beyond the bed plate, then upwardly and terminates in a threaded bushing 206 which is in alignment with the upstanding ears 20d. A shaft 2&1 is threaded through the bushing 206 and extends between the ears 204 being provided on opposite sides of the ears with washers 200 which are fixed to the threaded shaft by any suitable means such as set screws 209. 'Ihe outer end of the threaded shaft 201 is provided with a knurled knob 2|0 it being apparent that upon rotation of the threaded shaft by means of the knob, the plate 202 may be adjusted transversely of the bed plate. To lock the plate in adjusted position, there may be provided a lock nut 2|| threaded on the shaft 201 and adapted to engage the bushing 206.

Fixed to the upper face of the plate 202 and adjacent the rear edge, thereof, is a plate 2|5 provided with an upstanding arm 2|6 which forms a bearing 2|1 for a purpose which will later be described. The plate 2|5 carries at a point forwardly of the upstanding member `2||i, a vertically disposed plate 2|8. The plate 2|8 is of substantial thickness and constitutes a guide for the vertically adjustable block 2|9. 'I'he structure of this block is shown more fully in Figures 14 and 19 wherein it will be noted that thismember comprises a substantially solid block provided with a cut-out portion or recess 220 adapted to slidably receive the upstanding plate 2|0. 'Ihe plate 2|8 is held in the recess 220 by suitable metallic strips 22| which over-hang the recess and form therewith, a way for the plate 2|8.

At its opposite sides, the block 2|9 is recessed to receiver rack bars 225 and 226, these rack bars being held in position by additional strips 221 and 228 secured to the adjacent facesv of the block.

The rack bars are adapted for vertical movement in the block 2|9 and are provided on their 

